EPA gives grant to Colorado Springs to assess land for redevelopment plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is granting $600,000 to the city of Colorado Springs for crews to assess potential properties around Shooks Run and Fountain creeks in a redevelopment plan.

“This is a really good step to get this federal funding to help us do these assessments on several sites that are going to need to be cleaned up as part of this whole project,” said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers.

Many of the areas that will be assessed are part of the Shooks Run Creek corridor and the Fountain Creek corridor. These properties are either vacant and underused construction storage, automobile and agricultural facilities, and commercial and industrial buildings.

The grant money will help the city pay for third-party crews to measure levels of harmful contaminants in the ground including ammonia, lead and asbestos.

Envision Shooks Run is a project that will span more than 25 years for the southeast side of the city to be redeveloped. The mayor says he’s hopeful this remodeling will bring beneficial growth for the community.

“Shooks Run has the potential to be an amenity,” Suthers said. “I would encourage all of our citizens to look at the Envision Shooks Run document.”

Information about that project can be found HERE.